Neighbours are at war in rural Auckland over a 20-foot tall statue of a Hindu god.

Ravin Chand has just finished erecting the huge marble effigy on his property at Clevedon, which he says he wants so his family can pray to it, but his neighbours don't like it all.

They're Catholic, and say the statue is bizarre and offensive.

Chand has installed for the 30-tonne special foundations built to support the statue, and says it's part of Hindu culture.